schoolwardn.adv.adj.
/ˈskuːlwəd/, U.S. /ˈskulwərd/ Usually with to. The direction of a school; school. Obsolete (poetic in later use).
ΚΠ
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Prioress's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 97 To scoleward and homward whan he wente.
c1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Gilbert (1910) 118 (MED) This clerk in his weye to skoleward fell in grete heuynesse.
1533 T. More 2nd Pt. Confut. Tyndals Answere iv. p. cvii He hath played at spurne poynt by the waye in goynge at scolewarde.
1632 Of Newnesse of Heart i. 7 in R. Harris Way to True Happiness Mark it in your children, when they go to schoole-ward, somwhat is euer in their way.
1812 Weekly Entertainer 24 Aug. 680 Just at the hour Miss in her prime, For home from schoolward pines.
B. adv.
Towards or in the direction of a school or towards education; to school.
ΘΚΠ
society > education > place of education > school > [adverb] > towards school
schoolward1801
1801 W. Wordsworth Prioress' Tale 98 Home~ward and schoolward whensoe'er he went.
1858 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers (rev. ed.) in Poet. Wks. II. 121 The ramble schoolward through dewsparkling meads.
1873 Jackson Sentinel (Maquoketa, Iowa) 19 June 1/5 Disturbing elements likely to draw the children's minds away from their books, and their feet into paths not leading school-ward.
1920 Unpartizan Rev. 13 318 I saw..little Eva's chubby legs trotting schoolward.
1999 S. King Hearts in Atlantis 18 The usual morning flood of students was moving schoolward along Asher Avenue.
C. adj.
Directed towards a school or towards education; leading to school.
ΘΚΠ
society > education > place of education > school > [adjective] > directed toward school
schoolward1843
1843 Graham's Mag. May 278/2 How oft The half-conned task and tasker's dreaded frown Were unremembered as my schoolward steps..lingered.
1888 Daily News 13 Sept. 4/7 By the time a boy reaches the first big station on his schoolward road.
1898 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Aug. 271 The depression of the schoolward journey.
1912 Pacific Short Story Club Mag. Jan. 6 She..seized the steering wheel in both hands.., unconsciously shunning the schoolward direction.
1999 Observer (Nexis) 3 Oct. 29 His..utterances on the importance of attendance will..prompt..parents watching teenage children wavering hesitantly on their doorstep..to give them a schoolward shove.
Compounds
With participles, as schoolward-bound, schoolward-creeping, schoolward-trudging, etc.
ΚΠ
1886 A. Winchell Walks & Talks in Geol. Field 47 This mill-pond was dear to every school-ward trudging urchin that had to pass it.
1915 D. C. Fisher Bent Twig vii. 71 The procession of schoolward-bound children, already streaming past his door at a quarter past eight.
1963 Times 5 June 13/4 The shining morning face, attributed to the school-ward creeping schoolboy.
1993 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator (Nexis) 20 Nov. (Weekend section) 6 Through those open doors..poured the golden..voice of Beniamino Gigli. It rooted the schoolward-trudging child to the spot.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.adv.adj.c1405